thomas



(No Model.)

E. E.' THOMAS.

ANIMAL TRAP.

No. 269,972. Patented'Jan.Z,1883g VUNITED STATES PATENT GEEICE.

EDWIN E. THonAs,-oEMINNE'APoLIs MINNESOTA, AssIGNoE oE ONE-HALE ro WINFIELD s. HAMILTON, or SAME PLACE.

ArnlvlAt-TFeAP.V

SPECIFICATION forming part of Leiters Patent No. 269,972, dated January a, 1ste,

' Application filed October 17, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom tt may concern:

Beit known that I, EDWIN EUGENE THOMAS,

. a citizen ofthe United States,residingat Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin, in the Slate of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Animal-Traps, of which the following specification is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1is a side view. Fig.2 is an end view ot' the trip side. Fig..3 is a plan view, land Fig. 4; is an end view of the spring end, showing thevtrap open. Fig. 5 is a side view, and Fig. 6 is au end view ofthe trap closed. .This invention relates to animal-traps; and it consists in the construction and the combination of4 parts hereinafter particularly described, and then sought to be specifically de' lined by the claims.

The'trap is intended to be Vsuspended from above, with the entrance to thebait from below, and consists in a semieiroular metal strip or supporting-frame, A, and adapted to be suspended by a chain orothersuitahle means from 25 an eye, A.`

'lo the lower endsof the frame A two semiv circular metal bands or jaws, B B2, are pivoted, as shown at ct a2 a3 a4.

3o the forni ofangular lever-arms C O2, connected toeaoh other at their upperends byaspriug, D.

' Encirclingthelower endsotI the plateA, and lying' loosely upon the ends of the jaws B' B2, are two small rings or hoops, E E2, their object and use to be hereinafterdeseribed. Pivoted to the upper side of the plate A is a lewer, F, having ahoolg, b, hanging from the inner end, which passes down through a hole in the plate A, and is adaptedto hold the baite,

4.0 as shown. Attached to the plate A, on the opposite side from the levers C G2, is a hanger,

G, in which an angular forked trip is pivoted.

This two-armed trip consists of two legs or prongs, .H H2, bent over at the upper end at g, and `passing down and pivoted at h h2 in the hanger G, and then bent inward at about right angles, and with the joints 'i' i2 adapted to rest beneath the jaws B' B2 when they are raised up, as sho'wn in Figs.1,2,3,and 4. The

5o part g is adapted to rest against the outer end of the lever F, as shown, By these arrange- The upper ends Y n ot the jaws B B2 on one side are continued in ments, when, the jaws Bl Bz are raised up, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, with the points t" i2 of the trip H H2 beneath them,and the upper end, g, of the trip held outward by the outer end of the lever F, the trap will be set,

as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and '4, and will be sprung only when the hook b is pulledv downward, as hereinafter explained.

The bait wilhbe put upon the hook before 6o the trap is set, and the trap will be suspended from the loop or eye A by a chain or wire in a place frequented bythe animals it is d esiredr` to catch. Then, when the animal attempts to remove the bait, the pulling down of the'hook 65 b will. detach the'lever F from the part g of the trip H H2, and cause it to fall inward against the plate A and release the ends i' il" from the jaws B B2, and cause the latter to falldown over the aniinals head,- while at the same time 7c the clasps or rings E' E2, following down over the jaws, prevent them being again spread apart by the struggles ofthe animal to escape. By this means the jaws will be held together and securely hold the'animal. v 7 5 To preventthe possibility ofthe rings E E2 being iorced upward on the jaws again4 lby the struggles of the animal, baekwardly-pointing teeth n will be formed upon the outer edges ot' thejaws B B2, over which the rings 8o will slip freely iu 'running`down, but against which they will catch and be prevented from returning,'as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

The spring D is only intended to throw the jaws B B2 downward when released by the 85 trip, and is not intended to be heavy enough to hold the animal to any degree.

The spring may be dispensed with and the weight ot' thejaws alone depended upon to catch the animal; but the use ot' the spring 9.o renders the action alittle more quiclt and certain. v

I do not wish to conlne myself to the preoise forni of trip mechanism shown, as I aniv aware that many other forms may be used.

Teeth may be formed upon the inner edges of the jaws B B2, if desired; but ordinarily the smooth edges will hold the animals suffe ciently secure.

Having fully described my invention and set roc 1. In an animal-trap, the combination of a supporting-frame, a pair of jaws pivoted therel to, a lever pivoted on the frame, with a baithook suspended therefrom,and an angular trip pivotcd at one side of the frame, one arm ot' the trip being adapted to bear against the end of the bait-hook lever, and the other arm against the jaws, so as to uphold the same, and means for holding the jaws closed, substantially as set forth.

2. In an animal-trap, the combination of a supporting-frame, a pair of jaws pivoted thereto, a lever pivoted on the frame, with a baithook suspended therefrom,'an angular trip pivoted at one side of the frame, one arm of the trip being adapted to hear against the end of the bait-hook lever and the other arm against the jaws, so as to uphold the same, a spring con'nected to and serving to aid in closing the jaws, and means for holding the jaws closed, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of frame A, jaws B B2, pivoted thereto, lever F, pivoted to frame A', and having bait-hookI b suspended therefrom,

hanger G, connected to frame A, the forked angular trip pivoted to hanger G, one end ot' the trip adapted to bear against lever F and the other end against jaws B' B2, and means for holding the jaws closed, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination of frame A, lever'F, pivoted thereon, and having bait-hooks b suspended therefrom,jaws B' B2, having leverarms C C2, and hinged to frame A, spring D, connected to lever-arms C C2, hanger G, the forked and angular trip pivoted between jaws B B2 and lever F, and adapted to bear against both, and clasps or rings to t down over the jaws, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereoflhave hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWIN EUGENE THOMAS. Witnesses: C. N. WooDWARD, LoUrs FEEsnR, Sr. 

